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Chapter 5

Amy was right about the pleasant country pub which was not too busy with only three or four tables of diners. We sat in a corner and I discovered that on her own she could be both friendly and amusing company. Although a famous star, she now treated me as if I were one of her friends. We were of a similar age but from entirely different backgrounds and so much of the meal was spent explaining to one another how they’d come to find themselves on a film set in Wiltshire during the summer of 2018.

‘My mother was determined to turn me into a star and made me have acting and singing lessons when I was a young kid. That’s how I got signed up for those television commercials and before I knew it, I’d become quite famous.’

‘Did you enjoy it?

‘Yes and no. Sometimes I wish I’d had a more normal upbringing. Mum even once even tried to enter me in a children’s beauty pageant, but I put my foot down and fortunately Dad took my side and so that never happened again.’

‘But you are happy now?’’

‘I guess so,’ she replied not sounding entirely convinced by her own answer. ‘It is the only life I’ve known.’

Things went quiet for a moment, but then Amy seemed determined to change the subject.

'So how about you, Nicola? What sort of childhood have you had?’

‘I suppose I was happy until I was about six or seven, but then Mum decided that she might have done better with somebody else. She did everything possible to drive Dad out of the house and prevent him from seeing me, even to the extent of making false claims of cruelty. She had some lawyer who got a legal-aid cheque every time she made up a new story, whilst Dad had to pay for his own legal fees, hold down a job, pay for some new accommodation and give her child support. It isn’t surprising that he eventually got disheartened with the whole legal system, left the area and started a new family. We’ve had no contact since then.’

‘But couldn’t you have said something to stop it from happening?

‘Not when you’re so young and don’t really understand what’s happening to you. The family courts always tend to side with the mother and believe her story, especially if she is the only one that is being legally represented. Nobody seemed to be interested in listening to what I thought about things.’

‘And what did you think?’

‘I just wanted things to go back to how they were before, but I gradually realised that was never going to happen. Mum has since had two further guys in tow and had another child with each one. She still gets dissatisfied after a few years. She’s on her own at present, looking after my two half-brothers, but it would never surprise me to find that she has shacked up with yet another guy. The last time I saw her we had an almighty row and so I am currently persona non grata as far as she is concerned.

‘What happened to you after your Dad left home?’

‘The courts decided that I should stay with my mother in the family house. I once had ambitions of becoming a jockey as I was always slightly built and loved horses. I left home and school as soon as I could and went to work in a riding stable. I enjoyed the work but I now think it was probably a mistake and that I should have continued with my education.’

‘Why was it a mistake?’

‘I am a good rider but over the last year I’ve come to realise that I probably won’t make the grade as a jockey. The prospect of remaining as a hired hand in those circumstances does not have too many attractions. I love riding horses but mucking them out and grooming them for other people to ride is not so attractive. Thus, the opportunity to help look after some horses on a film set for a few weeks was at least something of a change of scene for me whilst I decided what I’m going to do with the rest of my life.’

‘Will it affect your job if you take two weeks off to go filming?’

‘I didn’t tell Frank, but I’ve already handed in my notice with my employers. I was just planning to check that Moonbeam was looked after alright during the filming and then I’m off to look for a new job.’

‘Well good luck in finding one.’

Our conversation then turned to other matters.

‘So have you enjoyed your first day as Nicola?’ Amy asked as we were sipping our coffee at the end of our meal.

I smiled.

‘I guess so. I don’t have a sister and I went to an all boys school so everything has been a new experience to me.’

‘I thought so. You are going to need a crash course in how to be a girl.’

‘It has been quite interesting to learn about costume and makeup although I have found it a little bit stressful to be out in a public place dressed the way I am.

‘It would be a lot more embarrassing for us both if you’d come out dressed in Nick’s clothes with your long hair and those eyelashes,’ she replied.

‘I suppose so. I’m gradually getting used to having the hair and wearing different clothes, but I’m conscious that people seem to be staring at us a lot, then look away if I return a glance. I just wonder if I am being 'read', ’and they know that I’m really a guy.

Amy laughed.

‘I hate to tell you but they are probably staring at me and not you. Being stared at in public is one of the penalties of being famous. It happens to me all the time. Most of the time I don’t notice them unless they come up and ask me for an autograph.’

‘The taxi driver did ask me whether or not it was you, but maybe he was too old to collect autographs,’ I replied.

“If people are staring at us, I would guess it is because they are trying to work out which one of us is the real Amy O’Donnell.’

I blushed.

‘I don’t think that is very likely. Your face is too well known.’

‘When people see Amy O’Donnell on the screen, or in magazines she is dressed in nice clothes and is wearing makeup with nicely styled hair. Tonight we both have the same hair style, are dressed fairly casually and neither of us is wearing that much makeup. Why shouldn’t they wonder whether you are Amy and I’m your assistant?’

‘But t isn’t just a question of how you look, but how you walk, talk and gesture as well.’

‘Maybe so, but that will all come when you’ve had a little more practice.’

‘I suppose so, although I only have a fortnight to find out.

‘I’ll have a bet with you, Nicola. In a fortnight’s time, when you’ve finished the filming, I’ll book a table for us for a posh restaurant in Salisbury. Next time you can dress up smartly and I’ll dress fairly casually. I’ll be willing to bet you the price of the meal that by the end of the evening you are being mistaken for me.’

‘No thanks. I wouldn’t have anything to wear and, in any event, I think I would be far too scared to appear in public wearing a dress and makeup, pretending to be a film star.’

Amy looked a little discouraged.

‘That’s odd. If you aren’t scared of wearing a long skirt and galloping side-saddle in front of a film crew and eventually in front of hundreds of thousands of filmgoers, why would you be scared of going to a restaurant in a dress?’

I didn’t answer but looked embarrassed.

‘Oh well, please yourself,’ Amy continued, sounding not exactly annoyed so much as a little disappointed in me. ‘I have to visit the ladies.’

As soon as she did so our waitress approached with the bill.

‘Excuse me, madam, but is that Amy O’Donnell?’

I confirmed it with a smile.

‘Do you think she would mind if my friend and I took a selfie with her?’

‘I don’t know her that well, so you will have to ask her yourself, but she seems to be quite friendly.’

The waitress disappeared to tell her colleagues. Amy returned.

‘I’ll pay the bill with my credit card, but would you organise the taxi,’ she said handing me a note to cover the fare.’

‘Thanks for the meal. I feel guilty about letting you pay for everything.’

‘Well don’t, the meal and the taxis will go on my expenses and the clothes are there to enable you to keep me company. Just go ahead and book the taxi.’

I did so.

‘It should be here in ten minutes, I announced.

‘Are you going to need to use the toilets before we leave?’ she asked.

‘The ladies?’

‘Well I trust you aren’t planning to use the gents, looking the way you do, that would cause a stir.’

‘No, I can manage to hold on until we get back. I would be too worried that someone might come in.’

‘Don’t be such a wimp, of course you must go to the ladies, and be sure you refresh your lipstick and powder your nose once you are finished.’

This was more of an instruction than a suggestion, so I picked up the handbag that Amy had loaned to me which contained the necessary cosmetics.

Upon my return I found Amy in the lobby happily chatting to our waitress and two of the kitchen staff, all of whom had taken selfies with her. I was impressed by the easy and friendly way in which she dealt with her fans.

‘Now will you take a picture of me and my friend, please,’ she said to our waitress handing over her own phone.

The waitress did as she was bid and then the little group dispersed.

‘See what I mean, it wasn’t until after I’d paid the bill that they were sure which one of us to approach.’

‘No, I think they had worked out who was the real Amy O’Donnell and who was the stand-in before then. May I have a copy of that photograph although I am not sure to whom I will ever be able to show .it.

‘Of course, let me have your phone and I will send it via Bluetooth.

During the taxi ride home I asked myself what it was that was preventing me from accepting my new situation and immersing myself in my new role, but was unsure of the answer.

‘So what do you plan to do when you finish filming?’ asked Amy, to break the silence.

‘I’ll be looking for a new job in London,’ but I want to make sure that Moonbeam is well treated whilst I’m still able to do so.’

‘I’m sure you’ll be able to find some work in London. Whether or not you can find somewhere reasonably priced to live is a different matter, of course.’

The taxi arrived back at Amy’s caravan and I paid the driver and she signed an autograph for his daughter.

‘There’s going to be an early start tomorrow so we'd better go in so I can show you how to get yourself ready for the morning. If you are going to stand in for me you’ll have to learn how to look after your hair otherwise it will get tangled during the night and look awful the following morning.’

‘Yes, of course,’ I replied, but would it be alright if I quickly check on Moonbeam first, I don’t want her to think that I’ve abandoned her?’ I asked.

‘OK then, I’ll come with you, if you like.’

We made our way to the stables and looked in on the horse – she was fine, but I stayed to stroke her for a few minutes.

‘You really love that pony, don’t you?’ said Amy.

‘Perhaps, but I’ll only be able to do so until the filming has been completed. She’ll then be going back to her stables in Ireland and I won’t be going with her.’

We both became thoughtful and didn’t say much else to one another until we reached the door of Amy’s caravan.

‘Amy, I hope I haven’t sounded ungrateful for everything that you’ve done for me over the last couple of days; it is just that it has all happened so quickly. I want to do as good a job as I can of being your stand-in over the next fortnight and so I hope you’ll continue to show me what I need to do and what I need to wear.’

Amy smiled.

‘Does that mean that we can put Nick into storage for the next fortnight together with his clothes?’

‘Yes, if you think it necessary for me to do a good job, as long as your promise to let him out afterwards.’

She smiled and kissed me on the cheek.

“We’ll have to see how Nicola gets on. We can begin by losing those ‘guy’ pyjamas that you were planning to wear tonight. I’ll find you a satin pair of mine and a satin pillow case, which will be better for your hair. Whilst I’m doing so, I’d like you to gather your hair into a loose pony tail and put on a two or three of these soft scrunchies to hold it in position,’ she said, showing exactly how to do it.’

I did as I was told, and Amy returned with a pair of pink satin pyjamas and a matching silk scarf.

‘I’ll show you how to tie up your pony-tail using the scarf, so that it doesn’t come adrift whilst you’re asleep. Don’t tie it too tightly or you’ll wake up with a headache.’

‘I’d no idea there was going to be so much involved in looking after long hair, but I promise to do my best,’ I said.

‘Good! You’ll notice the benefit of doing so in the morning. But tying up your hair each night is nothing compared to washing it and getting it dry, afterwards. Fortunately, we won’t have to worry about that for tonight so please be sure to put on a cap when you take a shower.’

‘The makeup girls have asked me not to use the shower until tomorrow morning because of my new boobs.’

‘In that case, you can wash your body in the sink before you change into the pyjamas but leave your face until afterwards. When you are ready, come through to my room bringing those cleansers and moisturisers that you have been given. I’ll show you what else you need to do before going to bed.

‘When do you think I’ll need to wash my hair?’

‘It looks fine for now, we will have to be guided by the makeup staff as it is important that our hair stays as similar to one another as possible..’

A few minutes later I knocked on Amy’s bedroom door and went in.

‘It is important for you to cleanse and moisturize your skin each night if you’ve been wearing makeup, otherwise it is going to look a mess and could cause you to break out in pimples. Watch what I do and then do the same for yourself.’

Amy went through the process of cleaning her skin with a general cleanser, then using a special cream on her eyes.

‘Frances told me to be very careful with my eyes until the glue on my lashes has fully set,’ I said.

‘In that case, I’ll clean them for you for tonight, but you’re going to have to learn how to look after yourself in future.’

‘Thanks, if you don’t mind.’

‘I’m happy to oblige. I was brought up with three brothers, I would have loved to have had a sister.’

‘Me too, although I was an only child for most of my life.’

‘Now you have cleansed your skin we should put on some moisturiser.’

I did as she showed me, and she smiled.

‘I think it is going to be fun having you stay with me for the next two weeks, Nicola.’

‘I hope so. Goodnight Amy and thanks for all your help today.’

By this time I’d given up worrying what other people might think of me and had determined to accept my new identity, at least for the next fortnight. However I was still a little anxious about how I would get on in front of the cameras.

 

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Next week: My first day on set

Thanks for the comments and corrections everyone. Feel free to keep them coming.
Louise